Tools

Updated Twitter App Integrates With Core iOS 7 Features

As predicted, Twitter has released an updated version of its mobile app to coincide with the launch of iOS 7. Largely unchanged, the new version — which is also compatible with iOS 6 and iOS 5 — features some visual tweaks as well as integration with core iOS features.

For example, Apple’s Siri can now search Twitter for tweets about people or topics. Although this might not directly impact a brand manager’s daily use of the Twitter app, it could help to lead consumers to your content much faster.

This could be most effective when someone passes by a billboard or learns about your brand during a conversation. Instead of opening the Twitter app and manually searching for your company’s handle, a person can just ask Siri to search Twitter for Sprout Social, for instance. The results will include tweets from your company as well as other people talking about it.

For people looking to discover content, Apple’s web browser Safari now incorporates something called “Shared Links,” which highlights news and links that are popular on Twitter. Additionally, the Music app will display songs that are trending on the social network through the Twitter #music station on iTunes Radio.

These minor updates are just a hint of what’s to come. Earlier this week, it was reported that Twitter is planning a massive redesign for iOS that will eliminate the four buttons at the bottom of the screen in favor of a swipeable menu to move between new streams. Though still unconfirmed by Twitter, reports suggest that a significant update is still in store.

One thing that’s missing from iOS 7 is the quick tweet button that used to reside under the Notification menu. Now if you want to send a tweet from your mobile device you’ll have to launch the Twitter app or the app of the social media management service you’re using. However, iOS 7 still retains options like signing into Twitter from Settings, sharing content directly from apps, and adding @usernames to people in Contacts.

Jennifer Beese: Jennifer Beese has worked as a community manager and social media strategist. When she’s not writing, you can find her studying anatomy and physiology—she literally has a skeleton in her closet—or under the stars with her telescope.